amsterdamnews
The New York Yankees had hoped this would be the season they captured their first World Series title since 2009. The roster then featured legendary figures like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Alex Rodriguez, CC Sabathia, and Hideki Matsui, who was named Series MVP.
Now, as the Yankees prepare to host the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday in a best-of-three wild card series, their path to the World Series has become more difficult. Manager Aaron Boone announced on Tuesday that the reigning American League MVP, Aaron Judge, is likely to miss the series due to a right calf strain.
"We're planning on him not being a part of that," Boone told reporters.
Judge has played only 66 games this season, largely due to a right rib stress fracture that kept him out for 84 games from May 31 to September 8. He was placed on the 10-day injured list last Friday.
The 34-year-old Judge, widely considered one of the best players in baseball over the past decade, is not expected to return for the divisional round if the Yankees advance past the Red Sox.
Last weekend, Boone said the team has no clear timeline for Judge's return. Judge is a three-time AL MVP, three-time AL home run leader, two-time MLB RBI champion, and the reigning MLB batting champion.
"I mean, I have no idea, we're in the early stages," Boone said. "We'll just obviously treat it and see what transpires."
The Yankees watched the Tampa Bay Rays clinch the AL East title on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium by winning the second game of a doubleheader 6-1. The Yankees shut out the Rays in the opener. Tampa Bay improved to 96-61 before the third game of the four-game series, with the finale set for 7:05 tonight. The Yankees are second in the division at 90-67, and the Red Sox are third at 84-73.
With Judge unavailable, the Yankees' offense will need to be versatile, combining power and small ball to make a deep postseason run. Designated hitter Ben Rice, who had 39 home runs and 95 RBIs as of Wednesday, both team highs, was the only Yankee with more than 20 homers and 80 RBIs. Timely power will need to come from players like second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (19 home runs), first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (18), and left fielder Cody Bellinger (17).
However, it is the pitching that must carry the Yankees, led by top AL Cy Young Award candidate Cam Schlittler, who is 14-6 with a 1.94 ERA and 234 strikeouts. Schlittler is scheduled to start tonight before taking the mound next week in the wild card series.
But the prevailing question remains: Can the Yankees win without Judge?
Originally reported by amsterdamnews.